skip to main content

Corynebacterium jeikeium — SCE Infectious Diseases MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

ModerateHealthcare-Associated InfectionsCorynebacterium jeikeiumSCE Infectious Diseases

A 50-year-old man with a tunnelled Hickman line for chemotherapy develops a catheter-related bloodstream infection with Corynebacterium jeikeium. The organism is resistant to most antibiotics including Penicillin, Cephalosporins, and Aminoglycosides. What is the treatment of choice?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: D — IV Vancomycin (Corynebacterium jeikeium is characteristically multi-resistant with reliable Vancomycin susceptibility)

C. jeikeium (formerly group JK diphtheroids) is a skin commensal that causes line-related bacteraemia in immunocompromised patients. It is characteristically resistant to most standard antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, macrolides) but reliably susceptible to Vancomycin. This multi-resistance pattern is the diagnostic clue — a corynebacterium resistant to everything except glycopeptides in a line-associated infection is almost certainly C. jeikeium. Line removal plus IV Vancomycin is the standard management.

Reference: BSAC 2023 – Line infections; EUCAST 2024 – Corynebacterium